The invention relates to an electrically conductive inorganic polymer containing at least one metal a) selected from the group consisting of copper, an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, and at least one metal b) selected from the group consisting of a metal of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th subgroup and the 3rd, 4th and 5th main group of the periodic system starting with atom number 31, an intermediate polymer and a method for producing said inorganic polymer.
Various types of metal alloys and even intermetallic compounds are already known. These, however, are frequently difficult to process further or to produce.
Thus, from JP 62084091, an electrically conductive inorganic polymer is known containing a metal of the 5th group. For the production of this polymer, a metal dithiolate complex is thermally decomposed.
The object of the present invention is to provide for an electrically conductive inorganic polymer disposing not only of a high electroconductivity, but also of good mechanical properties and which may easily be further processed.
This object is solved by an electrically conductive inorganic polymer according to the teaching of the claims.
The electrically conductive inorganic polymer according to the present invention, just called polymer in the following, is obtainable by a method comprising three main stages. Is the metal concerned according to the invention copper a), a preliminary stage has then to be carried out, wherein copper carbonate is mixed to form a slurry with an oxide of at least one metal b) with the addition of water. The water is evaporated therefrom by heating. The thereby obtained material may, for example, be pulverized.
The term xe2x80x9ccopper carbonatexe2x80x9d thereby comprises pure copper carbonate, hydrate water-containing copper carbonate and hydroxy carbonate of copper.
In the first main stage of the method for producing the inventive polymer, a carbonate of at least one metal a) with the exception of copper and/or the copper-containing material obtained according to the preliminary stage, is fused with at least one oxide of a metal b).
As metal b) for said metal oxide, a metal is thereby used which is a metal from the 1st and 2nd, as well as from the 4th through 8th subgroup and the IIIrd through Vth main group of the periodic system starting with the atom number 31.
Is copper used as metal a), said oxide of a metal b) may in this case also be a copper oxide or an oxide of another metal b).
When the invention mentions that for the production of the inventive polymer an alkali carbonate and/or an alkaline earth carbonate is/are used, this means in this case that a sole alkali carbonate, a sole alkaline earth carbonate, a compound of several alkali carbonates, a compound of several alkaline earth carbonates or a compound of one or more alkaline earth carbonate(s) or one or more alkaline earth carbonate(s) may be used. And the like applies relative to the metal oxide.
The alkali carbonate and/or alkaline earth carbonate and/or the copper-containing material obtained in the preliminary stage may be fused with an oxide of one, two, three, etc. metals b). The weight ratio between carbonate, respectively of the material from the preliminary stage and the oxide is thereby in the 1st stage preferably 25:75 to 60:40. With this range indication, all thereof comprised narrower, or at least integral ranges are characterized and hence disclosed, for example 30:70, 35:65, 38:72, 45:55, 50:50, 53:47 and 58:42.
The melt obtained in the 1st main stage, is cooled down slowly in an appropriate manner and then ground, if necessary.
In a 2nd main stage the material obtained in the 1st main stage is fused with a further oxide of a metal b). Thereby, an oxide having one, two, three or more of the metals b) may be concerned. As metal b), one of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th subgroup, as well as of the 3rd4th and 5th main group of the periodic system starting with atom number 31 is used. The indication xe2x80x9cstarting from atom number 31xe2x80x9d thereby relates only to the metals of the main groups.
The material obtained in the 1st main stage is preferably used in excess in the 2nd main stage. The weight ratio between the material obtained in the 1st main stage and the oxide is preferably 60:40 to 70:30 in the 2nd main stage.
Appropriately, one heats to a temperature in the 1st main stage which is lower than the temperature of the 2nd main stage. Preferably, the temperature of the 1st main stage is 300 to 850xc2x0 C., and 700 to 1200xc2x0 C. in the 2nd main stage.
The product obtained subsequent to the 2nd main stage is designated as intermediate polymer within the framework of the present documents. Said intermediate polymer may be processed into valuable end products such as will be considered below in more detail.
According to a preferred embodiment, the same metal oxide, respectively the same metal oxides is/are used in the 1st and 2nd main stage.
As metal b) for the metal oxide serve preferably titanium, vanadium, nickel, gallium, germanium, molybdenum, rhodium, indium, antimony, tellurium, tungsten, rhenium, iridium, thallium, bismuth, copper, gold, silver and zinc.
The melt obtained in the 2nd main stage may be allowed to cool down, appropriately slowly. The thereby obtained intermediate polymer may then be pulverized, for example ground, and disposes already of electroconductivity.
This intermediate polymer may then be further processed. It is thereby preferably dissolved in a 3rd main stage in an aqueous solvent, for example by means of acids or alkaline solutions, and is then electro-deposited under reduction in an electrolytic cell on an in particular conductive substrate, which is poled as a cathode.
A d.-c. power supply such as a battery or a regulated power supply may serve as the energy source for the operation of said electrolytic cell. The voltage thereby is appropriately in a range of about 1 to 25 V. A voltage in a range between 2 and 12 V revealed to be particularly appropriate. The current density usually is in a range between 1 to 100 mA/cm2, further preferred in a range between 1.0 and 35 mA/cm2.
The electrolytic solution should not exceed a temperature of +80xc2x0 C. In general, a reaction temperature in the range between +40xc2x0 C. and +70xc2x0 C. revealed to be very advantageous.
With this coating thus deposited on a substrate, the final electrically conductive inorganic polymer is concerned.
The pulverized intermediate polymer such as described above may again be fused and reduced in the 3rd main stage according to a further preferred embodiment. For this fusing, as well as for the fusing processes of the 1st and 2nd main stage, one appropriately employs a suitable crucible, in which the substances and materials to be fused are placed.
The melt of the intermediate polymer for the remainder may not only be obtained in thatxe2x80x94such as described abovexe2x80x94the intermediate polymer obtained after the 2nd main stage is fused again. One may also immediately use the melt obtained in the 2nd main stage without prior cooling down of said melt.
The melt of the intermediate polymer is then preferably reduced electrolytically by means of a real gas or by means of a reducing agent having a reduction potential of xe2x88x920.100 to xe2x88x920.900 Exc2x0inV. With this reduction, polymer crystals separate out from the melt.
For carrying out the electrolysis of the melt from the intermediate polymer, the latter is fused in a crucible at 650 to 900xc2x0 C. The electrolysis is carried out with direct current, a current density of 10 to 35 mA/cm2 being preferred. The voltage depends on the melt composition and should be about 0.8 to 3.5 V. As electrodes, those made of graphite or precious metal have proved successful. On these electrodes, more precisely on the cathode, the inventive polymer deposits in the form of crystals. These are then taken out and appropriately washed and dried.
Said reduction may however also be carried out in that just a reducing agent is submerged in the melt. For that purpose, one may for example use an iron rod, on which the crystals from the inventive polymer will then form.
With the described reduction, crystals are obtained having a perovskite-like structure and a tetragonal symmetry. The density of the crystals is in particular 4 to 20 g/cm3.
The inventive polymer is perfectly conductive and disposes of advantageous mechanical properties. It may be used as a conductor in the electrical industry, in medical engineering, galvanotechnics and the automobile industry. The inventive polymer lends itself for being easily further processed and deposited on substrates in the form of a coating. It further exhibits a good resistance against acids and alkaline solutions.
For the remainder, it is assumed that, without being bound to this explanation, the conductivity of the inventive polymer resides in an excess of electrons and that these are freely movable and dispersed over the crystals. The crystals may be regarded as doped metal oxides, the conductivity depending on the content of alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal and/or copper. Therewith, alkali metals and/or alkaline earth metals and/or copper may be regarded as the dopant. The electroconductivity therewith seems to reside in a mechanism which is different from that of an alloy or an intermetallic compound.
As oxides of the metals b) in the 1st and 2nd main stage of a method for producing the inventive polymers, all oxides of the used metals may moreover be used.
The object of the present invention is also a method for producing an electrically conductive inorganic polymer or intermediate polymer, and its use as a conductor in the electrical industry, in medical engineering, galvanotechnics and the automobile industry.
General reference may again be made as to that with the ranges indicated within the framework of the present documents, all at least integral values lying between these range limits are characterized and therewith disclosed. This applies independently of the measurement units for the indicated ranges, be it 0xc2x0 C., V, mA/cm2 or weight ratios. In addition thereto, the range indications comprise as well all smaller/narrower range indications lying therein.
The invention will be explained in detail in the following by means of the examples below describing preferred embodiments. The indicated parts thereby relate to weight parts.